New Jock for the Belmont....

5/28/2016

10:28 am EDT

Smith to Suddenbreakingnews

By Dick Downey
@DowneyProfile

Trainer Donnie K. Von Hemel said today that Suddenbreakingnews will have a new rider in the Belmont Stakes, Mike Smith.

Smith replaces Luis Quinonez. After the Kentucky Derby, in which Suddenbreakingnews ran a closing fifth, Quinonez said, "Oh my God, we had a lot of traffic to deal with. He was there. He was running. He was flying."

Smith, who has won the Belmont Stakes twice, was aboard Danzing Candy in the Kentucky Derby and didn't participate in this year's Preakness Stakes.

Von Hemel appeared Saturday morning on Louisville's ESPN 680 with John Asher and Darren Rogers. He briefly discussed the jockey change, saying "The main thing is the experience Mike brings to the table, especially in the Belmont."

Smith won the Belmont Stakes in 2013 on Palace Malice and in 2010 with Drosselmeyer. In 2012, he rode Paynter to a second-place finish in the Test of the Champion.

Smith has one Kentucky Derby victory -- he rode Giacomo in 2005. In 1993, Smith rode Prairie Bayou to victory in the Preakness. He was second in both the Derby and Preakness aboard Bodemeister in 2012 and was second on Mine That Bird in the 2009 Preakness.

Von Hemel said Suddenbreakingnews will retain his shadow roll in the Belmont Stakes. It was used on him for the first time in the Kentucky Derby.